The present invention relates to a surgical instrument and more particularly, to an arthroscopic/endoscopic surgical instrument which may be used to remove or otherwise treat tissue in a joint or other body space or a potential space.
Surgical instruments which may be used to remove tissue or perform other operations on tissue are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,499,899; 4,517,977; 4,649,919; 4,763,669; and 4,834,729. The surgical instruments disclosed in these patents have stem sections which extend outwardly from a handle. A cutting tool or other device is disposed at the outer end of the stem section. The stem section is rigid, and the cutting tool or other device can not be moved in different planes relative to the stem section. Other surgical instruments, in which a cutting tool is movable relative to the stem section, are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,354,311, 5,330,502, 5,209,747, and 5,152,744.